FBI Investigates Bitcoin Meeting After Major Theft

The FBI is looking into a meeting of Bitcoin Core developers due to a subpoena for information on the attendees.

This investigation relates to the theft of Luke Dashjr’s bitcoins, estimated to be worth $3.6 million.

Mike Schmidt from Brink, a nonprofit supporting open-source developers, informed attendees about the subpoena.

The FBI wanted names, emails, and GitHub usernames after some negotiation, focusing on those present at the October 2022 CoreDev Atlanta event. Schmidt expressed his apologies for the intrusion of privacy.

The inquiry stems from a significant loss reported by Dashjr, a key player in Bitcoin’s development, who announced on social media that he had lost a large portion of his Bitcoin due to a compromised PGP key.

Despite seeking help, including from the FBI, Dashjr found himself unable to recover the stolen assets.

This theft has raised concerns within the Bitcoin community, spotlighting the ongoing challenges in protecting digital assets against cyber threats.

The FBI’s actions, requesting details from the developer meeting, highlight the tension between cooperating with law enforcement and maintaining privacy.

The situation has implications for the community’s principles of security and privacy.

As the investigation continues, it underscores the vulnerabilities in the digital asset space and the complexities of ensuring security in a decentralized technology landscape.